Katin Explorer James Barkman is the true definition of an Explorer, literally. Whether he's traveling coast to coast, living in his van or traveling to the mountains to hike 72-mile trails (yes he really did), James is always seeking adventure.

His latest expedition took him to the High Sierra Trail that begins in Sequoia National Park and finishes at the bottom of Mt Whitney. As far as he and his partners knew, nobody has ever completed it in the winter.

After snowshoeing a few days into the High Sierra trail, James and his crew were forced to turn back after running into an "impassable mountain pass."

"Way sketchier than it looks! Can't tell but that's a sheer 150+ foot drop," James said.

The trail was covered with super light, powdery snow that either slid down from above or had been blown by the wind. The snow would start sliding with every step they'd take, resulted in quite a few near slips. "Life is too good to die young, said we, and that was that," James said on his trip recap on Facebook.

Despite the slightly treacherous "near slips" and "sketchy" edges, James maintains that it ws an absolutely beautiful hike and made for quite the trip (we can only imagine).

Follow James Barkman on all of his trips by following him on Instagram at @jamesbarkman. Stay up to date on all Katin adventures and our Explorers's travels by following us on social media as well.